Changing Leaves
by AuraAuthor
Summary: Hermione is trying to take a muggle photo of her friends when Draco offers to help. Why is he offering to help her? Dramione Fluff!


Changing Leaves

 **A Dramione story that's just a little on the sweet side. Enjoy! Read and review AA**

"Lean over towards Ginny Harry. You need to be closer to be in the frame right. Ron stop looking like such a wanker and sit up straight!" Hermione was getting frustrated.

This was supposed to be a simple muggle photo to send back home to her parents, but her friends were making it very difficult. "Can you please just cooperate for a moment?"

Ginny popped Ron on the back of the head. "Sit up and act right Ronald," she said. "Take the damn picture already Hermione. Your parents know what we look like!"

"This has to be perfect Ginny! The healer said he had finally managed to get some of their memories back and I have to help provide encouragement for the rest of their memories to return."

"Take the photo Hermione, it's as good as it's going to get."

"Especially with that lot in the photo," came a sharp voice from behind her. "Why are you using a muggle camera? Those pictures are boring, they don't do anything."

"It's for my parents Malfoy, now bugger off," Hermione said without turning around to face him.

"Shouldn't you be in it Granger?"

"That's a great idea Malfoy!" Ginny said with excitement. "Would you take the picture?"

"This isn't about me guys! I'm getting photos of my friends."

"Get in the picture Granger," Draco muttered. "Just show me which button to push."

She turned to face him and squinted her eyes. "No funny business Malfoy?"

"Cross my heart Granger. On my honor as a reformed death eater, no funny business," he said and chuckled at the expression on her face.

She glared at him before pointing to a red button on the camera. "Just press this button," she said before joining her friends.

She sat in between Ron and Ginny and plastered a large grin on her face. "Everyone smile," Malfoy said giving them a moment before he pressed the red button.

"Take a couple more Malfoy," Hermione said.

"Never thought I'd see you giving him orders," Ron said with a grin.

"Oi, Weasley shut up and look at the camera!" Draco yelled with his famous sneer in place.

Draco's response caused the four friends to laugh and the next several photos showed pure joy on their faces. Draco took the camera and stared at the screen to admire his handiwork. Hermione joined him and reached for the camera but Draco kept it from her. "What about us?" he asked smirking at her.

"What about us?"

"Oi, Potter! Take a photo of me and Hermione yeah?"

Harry looked confused. "You want a photo of you two? Together? Why? Are you going to blackmail her later?"

"I just want a photo so she can show her parents the evil git that has tormented their daughter for the past six years. They'll meet me at graduation anyway. Ought to give them a face to go with the name right?"

Hermione watched him for a moment and saw a glimmer of sorrow in his eyes. "Take the photo Harry," she said leaning into Draco.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and grinned at the camera. "Smile I guess?" Harry said before pointing the camera towards the couple.

He took a couple shots before handing the camera back to Hermione. She pulled up the photos on the screen and showed them to Draco. "We look good together," he commented. "You'll get me a copy yeah?"

Hermione nodded. "Sure Malfoy."

"Alright then, see you later Granger," he said grinning at her before turning to the other three and nodding. "Potter, Weasel, Weaslette, see you round."

The other three came to stand next to Hermione and watched Draco walk back towards the castle. "What the bloody hell was that about?" Ron asked.

"Not a bleeding clue," Harry answered.

"A nice Malfoy gives me the creeps," Ginny said. "What is he up too?"

"All good questions," Hermione said. "I think I am going to find out," she stated before following Draco up the hill towards the castle.

When Hermione entered the courtyard Draco was nowhere in sight. "Where did he go?" she asked out loud to the empty courtyard.

Boyish laughter drew her attention to a side door. Rounding the corner she spotted him with Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott. They were having a conversation that was obviously very funny, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. She suddenly felt very self-conscious wondering if they were laughing at her and how she had responded to letting Draco take a photo with her. She imagined Draco telling them what she had done. "The witch actually let me take a picture with her! Can you believe it? I'm shocked she didn't break the camera with that ghastly head of hair of hers."

She grimaced at the pretend conversation in her head. Zabini and Nott would have added their own insults. "Stupid mud blood! Brightest witch of our age my arse!"

She felt tears well up in her eyes. What they hell was she thinking? Why had she followed him just to be insulted? Merlin she was stupid! She turned away from the boys and headed back towards the courtyard. "Oi Granger!" she heard from behind her but she kept walking.

"Granger!" came the voice again this time accompanied by hurried steps.

It only took a moment for him to catch up with her because his stride was easily twice what hers was. "Granger," he said right behind her.

He grabbed her arm to stop her and she jerked away. "What in blazes do you want Malfoy?" she spat at him.

"Hang on, what's this then? What are you pissed about Granger?"

Hermione pushed away from him but he followed her. "Granger? What's the matter?" she ignored him and kept walking away. "Hermione!" he yelled causing her to stop in her tracks. "What the hell has pissed you off? What did I do?"

"You! I hate you Malfoy! Where do you get off?"

"Me! You've gone bonkers Granger! What have I done to you?"

"You took a picture with me," she said before she realized she was yelling. "You took a picture with me. Why did you do that?"

Draco stared at her incuriously. "What the hell Granger? You are pissed because we took a picture? I don't understand women at all."

"Why Malfoy?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you request a photo with me?"

He glared at her and when she didn't cower beneath his gaze he grimaced and rolled his eyes. "What does it matter Granger?"

"And you also called me Hermione! What's that about?"

"Bloody hell Granger, can't you just leave this alone."

She glared at him and crossed her arms across her chest. "Malfoy," she said warningly.

"I wanted… I wanted you to have something of me. The photo… you would always have something of me, a reminder."

"Why… why would I need a reminder of you?"

"Because you are going to go off and marry the Weasel, have a bunch of red headed rugrats and only ever think of me as the cheeky git you knew before. I don't want you to think of me that way anymore. I want you to call me Draco. I want you to…"

He was silent and suddenly couldn't meet her eyes. "You want me to what Draco?"

"I want you to give me a second chance."

He watched her for a moment while she contemplated how to answer him. Finally she stuck her hand out to him and grinned. "I'm Hermione Granger, how do you do?"

He grinned back at her. "Draco Malfoy, pleasure to meet you Ms. Granger."

"The pleasure is mine Draco and please call me Hermione."

He brought her outstretched hand to his lips and placed a chaste kiss on her knuckles. "I have to say that the pleasure is entirely mine. Would you like to get some hot chocolate in Hogsmeade?"

She hesitated a moment and he thought he had pushed her too far. He was going to apologize when she linked her fingers with his. "I would love to get some hot chocolate with you Draco. I think that is a splendid idea."

He smiled at her and then noticed her friends over her shoulder. "Do you want to invite anyone else along?"

She glanced back at Harry and Ginny and Ron. "Not if you don't," she said nodding to Zabini and Nott who were standing behind Draco.

"Merlin's truth Hermione if I have to be subjected to those blokes any longer I might just cast a killing curse on myself."

Hermione laughed. "Why pray tell is that Draco?"

"Well to be perfectly honest they have been giving me a hard time about you."

"About me?" she said perplexed.

"Yes," Blaise Zabini's voice came from behind Draco. "We have to pick on the arse because of his pining for you Granger. Sorry love not gonna call you Hermione, old habits and all."

"Pining?" she asked Draco.

"Crushing more like it," Draco muttered.

"Really?"

"Always," he replied causing her to grin. "But my parents would never have approved and you've been with the Weasel this whole time… it just wasn't going to work."

"Not anymore."

"What?"

"I'm not with Ron… anymore. But there is still the issue of your parents."

"They've… changed."

"Really?"

He sighed. "No, but they'll get over it eventually. I'm there only son after all."

"Hogsmeade then?"

"Hogsmeade," he said with a grin.

"Draco?"

"Yes Hermione?"

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"Hermione?"

"Yes Draco?"

"I hope this is the beginning of so much more."

~FIN~


End file.
